Karamo Brown explains sudden exit from ‘Queer Eye' interview

Karamo Brown shocked fans and colleagues this week when he abruptly withdrew from a scheduled Queer Eye cast interview on CBS Mornings.

Brown was set to appear January 20 alongside co-stars Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Jeremiah Brent, and Antoni Porowski.

But less than an hour before the segment, co-host Gayle King revealed that Brown had sent a letter explaining his absence.

He cited fears of being “bullied” as reason for his absence.

“I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade,” the 71-year-old read from Brown’s assistant.

“Which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can’t be there today.”

The statement added that Brown was “worried about being bullied,” though no further details were provided.

His castmates expressed visible surprise at the announcement as they sat through the interview without him.

“Surprised is a fair understatement,” Porowski told King.

“I will say our ‘Queer Eye’ family, we’ve been doing this for almost a decade, which is pretty wild to believe, and families are complicated. And we’re definitely not excluded from that.”

The Antoni in the Kitchen author added, “But I think two things can exist at the same time. And while that is definitely true, we’re also here to showcase the incredible heroes that we have and honor the legacy of this past decade of our lives.”

Van Ness expressed admiration for Brown, “I would say one thing that I’ve been so honored to learn about Karamo in that time is that we have to meet people we’re they’re at,”.

“He has taught people to center what they need. And I’m actually really proud of him. Center what you need, do the things that you need to do to take care of you. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel like that sometimes,” van Ness added.

“It’s really beautiful. We do need to center what’s best for us sometimes. And I take my hat off to him for doing that today.”